| There are constant reminders of the huge global | | | | both in residential and commercial applications. |
| problems we must solve in the next hundred years. | | | | The Future of Biodiesel |
| Rising gas prices, tighter emissions regulations, and | | | | While biodiesel has huge potential as an alternative |
| increase in political tensions indicate one of these | | | | fuel source, there are still a lot of unknown factors |
| problems: dependency on petroleum. The quest for | | | | that need consideration. For instance, one of |
| alternative fuel sources is varied, from hydrogen to | | | | biodiesel's best qualities is that when mixed with the |
| electricity, but there is only one alternative fuel that | | | | correct additives it produces 20% less emissions than |
| meets the Health Effects Testing Requirements, and | | | | petroleum. However, one must consider the amount |
| that is biodiesel. Strangely, many people are still | | | | of emissions produced during the transportation and |
| completely in the dark when it comes to the | | | | production of the fuel. Similarly, while biodiesel comes |
| functions, impacts, history, and future of this widely | | | | from organic ingredients, there could be harm done |
| used alternative fuel. | | | | to the environment through pesticides, fertilizers, |
| The History of Biodiesel | | | | erosion issues, and destruction of wildlife habitat. |
| Interestingly, biodiesel was created long before diesel | | | | Therefore, it is exceedingly difficult to determine the |
| engines were widely used. The first serious and large | | | | exact amount of pollution created by biodiesel. |
| scale use of biodiesel was during World War II, when | | | | Another concerning aspect of this type of alternative |
| countries were not apt to trade and lacking in their | | | | fuel is the amount of resources necessary for |
| own resources. The early use of biodiesel caused a | | | | production. Although these crop and animal |
| lot of mechanical problems due to clogging, but as | | | | components necessary to biodiesel production are |
| mixtures of biodiesel and petroleum became more | | | | renewable, they are not abundant enough to fully |
| common these problems subsided. Today biodiesel is | | | | replace gasoline, at least in the United States. There |
| most widely known as an alternative to petroleum | | | | is not enough land and irrigation for biodiesel to meet |
| that produces less emissions. | | | | United States energy demands alone. To address this |
| Biodiesel Today | | | | problem, researchers are exploring other avenues of |
| Biodiesel is created through a chemical reaction | | | | biodiesel cultivation, including algae and bacteria |
| involving animal fat or vegetable oil and alcohol. While | | | | research. |
| there are many organic sources for biodiesel, including | | | | Biodiesel has huge potential as an alternative energy |
| rapeseed oil, hemp oil, sunflower oil, palm oil, grease, | | | | source, particularly because of its renewable nature |
| lard, chicken fat, and fish oil, the majority of biodiesel | | | | and lower emission output. Although we are |
| is made with soybean oil. Regardless of the type of | | | | constantly searching for new energy sources or |
| matter that constitutes biodiesel, the applications of | | | | fresh ideas to decrease our petroleum dependency, |
| this alternative fuel are all similar. Biodiesel, or a | | | | biodiesel should not be dismissed. With the right |
| biodiesel mixture, is used in trains, commercial trucks, | | | | technology, cultivation techniques, persistence, and |
| passenger vehicles, and is being tested for use in | | | | creative thinking biodiesel could possibly be a fuel of |
| airplanes. Interestingly, biodiesel is also used in heating, | | | | the future. |